title: The protective effect of Cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRP) on testicular torsion/detorsion: an experimental study in mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the expression of Cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRP) in torsion/detorsion of the testes in different phases and demonstrate the protective effect of CIRP on testicular injury after torsion/detorsion (T/D) in an experimental mouse model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four male BALB/c mice were divided randomly into 8 groups: normal control group (N), sham-operated group (S), torsion 2 h group (T2h), torsion/detorsion 12 h group (T/D12h), and T/D24h, T/D48h, T/D72h, and T/D96h groups. The testes were examined for the expression levels of CIRP. Another 32 male BALB/c mice were divided randomly in to 4 groups: normal control group (N), T/D group, T/D+pcDNA3.1 group, and T/D + pcDNA3.1-CIRP group. The plasmids were transfected into testes with in vivo-jetPEI. After 3 days, morphological changes, mean seminiferous tubule diameter (MSTD), and the number of the germ cell layers were observed. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), and Bcl-2/Bax ratios were studied in the different groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the N and S groups, the expression of CIRP in the T2h group was down-regulated. In T/D groups, the levels of CIRP were reduced in a time dependent manner. Compared to T/D and T/D+pcDNA3.1 group, the MSTD, number of the germ cell layers, SOD activity, and Bcl-2/Bax ratio increased in T/D + pcDNA3.1-CIRP group, while the level of MDA decreased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our study have shown that down-regulated CIRP is involved in testicular injury after testicular torsion/detorsion. Up-regulation of the expression of CIRP may reduce the damage caused by torsion/detorsion, possibly by preventing germ cell oxidative stress and apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhiping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xinmin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015536:Down-Regulation; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013086:Spermatic Cord Torsion / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C494827:Bax protein, mouse; D015415:Biomarkers; C106176:Cirbp protein, mouse; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase
keywords: Cold-inducible RNA-binding protein; In vivo-jetPEI; Male infertility; Spermatogenesis; Testicular torsion/detorsion